Final rural burglary suspect sent to jail

The final suspect in a series of rural burglaries in South Milam County last summer, pleaded guilty in 20th District Court last week and received a 12-month state jail term.

Antonio Vega, 33, of Houston pleaded guilty to burglary of a building, according to Prosecutor Kerry Spears.

Vega, along with his two codefendants were also ordered to pay $2,130 in restitution.

He was one of three Houston men arrested in July, 2009, in connection with a series of breakins in rural Milam and Burleson counties.

Co-defendants

Mario Moreno, 27, pleaded guilty to burglary of a building in February and drew a 12-month state jail term, plus $2,130 restitution.

In January, Silvino Castillo pleaded guilty to burglary of a building and drew a three-year deferred adjudication probation sentence. He was also ordered to pay $3,130 in restitution along with co-defendants.

Sweat threat

Castillo was arrested in October in Houston while Vega and Moreno were arrested in July in Burleson County after an offduty Milam County deputy sheriff spotted a vehicle believed to have been used in the rural break-ins.

Deputies said the break in the case came when one of the suspects confessed after learning deputies had sent off sweat droplets collected at the scene of one burglary for DNA analysis.